Our History

This Palazzo-style building was designed by the architects Flockton and Abbott as offices for the Sheffield Water Works Company. The sculpted heads of Greek and Roman water gods are above the ground-floor windows. The now grade II listed building opened in 1867 and was later the home of the hugely successful Graves Mail Order Empire. It was founded by John George Graves, whose many gifts to the city included Graves Park and Graves Art Gallery.